Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Great Expectations

Lest you think that I'm really on the gravy train since I can (sometimes) sleep in late:

Here are the expectations for the "Rehabilitation Job Placement Plan and Agreement." I had to sign and agree to these in order to receive Worker's Comp payments:

* Full Time job search 6-8 hours per day/5days per week.

* Job search radius is within 50 miles

* 2-3 applications per day

* 2-3 contacts with Job Placement Specialist per week

* Legible daily job logs need to be submitted weekly

* Job Leads followed up within 48 hours

* 2 interviews per week, if possible

* 4-10 cold call job searches daily

My job logs are inspected and questioned. If I don't fulfill the agreement (above) they can cut some or all of my weekly WC payments.

When I mentioned this to friends, they nearly all exclaimed, "But all I had to do was call in every week!" Yes, my dearest pals, but that was for Unemployment Compensation, not Worker's Compensation. The two are different animals. The bright side is that WC pays out higher than EUC. And if my WC ever did disappear, I also managed (in those dark days immed following my firing) to become eligible for UEC.

Something I didn't know, and maybe you don't either is that if you get FIRED from a job, you don't get Unemployment Compensation!!!!!! And I had worked at the job for six years.

I nearly fell over when I received the UEC denial in the mail and wondered what on earth I was going to do--no job, no money and an injury besides. But every week UEC sent me three thick envelopes with essay questions about what had happened, which I completed and returned diligently. In time UEC made a ruling that I was NOT fired for cause, as my ex-employer was declaring and that I was eligible for UEC. Whew! It was a long hard road.

By the time UEC finally was preparing to kick in, the Worker's Comp person at their main office also declared that I was still eligible for WC. She had been appalled that my former employer did not call WC and let them know that I was to be fired. It took a bit of time but she had me reinstated on WC. So guess which one of the Compensations I selected? WC is enough for me to pay the bills while UEC would have been a blessing, for sure, but my housing costs are so high that I would have lost the house. So all is well and I am VERY grateful to the nice woman at WC who fought the battle for me. There are some good people out there who are interested in justice!

8 Comments:

Ahhhh.. that's terrible that your company treated you so poorly (both when you where there and when you left). But I'm glad things are working out for the better now. I hope the people at your next job appreciate you.

I was let go from my employer in November of 2001 and had a heck of a time. I had just purchased a house and I was scared I wasn't going to be able to make ends meet. I got full UEC, but it was only just enough to pay the mortgage, not to mention food, utilities, etc.

My then-boyfriend, now-husband, helped me out and I cut as much as I could. I couldn't afford health insurance or my medicine. I did keep my internet line though because I needed it for job searches. I stayed home, ate soup, and did very little other than look for work.

It took six months before I got a contract job. The market was flooded after 9/11 and all of the layoffs in the area. And it was just before the holidays. I worked as a contractor for 4 months and got laid off again.

Then my UEC ran out. I found a job at half my previous rate, but it was still a great thing. It took several years to build back up. My husband lost his job when his company shut down just two months after I finally found a job and went through the same slow process I did, working temporary when he was able to until he found another permanent position.

It's been seven years and I think we're just now back on our feet from all of that.

I hope it all works out in the best way for you. Maybe when you get your next job it'll be so great you'll be happy, even for all of the bad stuff that's happened.

You should tell them that searching for a job is your full time job and you don't have any time to actually work, what with all the searching you do. They should just keep the payments coming for life.

It's a little confusing to me because up here WC is for those who can't do their job (for a period of time) due to a job related injury. However, I'm glad that you have had some legitimate help in this time of need.

I have a theory about any kind of Social Security. I think they make it so difficult to get with endless volumes of forms to fill out, stress and unpleasantness that they hope people will throw their hands in the air in frustration and not bother to pursue it any further.

The company you worked for previously were always swines. I didn't think you could fire someone who had a work related injury.

Thats alot to do.In Canada you are supposed to lay back and heal not look for work and if its sometyhing that slows you down permanently they give you a pension to compensate for money lost due to the injury and you can still work.